Event Invitation

International orienteering relay competitions, the 78th Jukola relay and the 49th Venla relay, Vuokatti-Jukola, 18–20th June 2027 in Vuokatti.
Organised by Sotkamon Jymy and Vuokatti Sport Resort Ltd.

The competition instructions for the Vuokatti-Jukola competition, as well as the event programme and a “Guide to Vuokatti-Jukola”,
will be published as electronic versions. All competitors are asked to download these beforehand.

49th Venla relay

An orienteering relay competition with four legs for women’s teams from orienteering clubs and other associations. The winning team will be awarded the challenge trophy “Lintukoto” (“Bird home”), donated by the Kaukametsäläiset association.

LegEstimated distanceEstimated timeClimb
1.6,3–6,4 km

42 min

200 m
2.5,5–5,6 km37 min200 m
3.8,3–8,4 km60 min300 m
4.8,0–8,1 km56 min280 m
Total28,3 km 3 h 15 min 980  m
 
Ryhmä naisurheilijoita numeroituihin pelipaitoihin pukeutuneina juoksee metsän halki kartat kädessään Esi-Jukola 2025 -suunnistuskilpailun aikana. Taustalla on katsojajoukko.

78th Jukola relay

An orienteering relay competition with seven legs for teams from orienteering clubs and other associations. The winning team will be awarded the challenge trophy “Havuoksa, rauhan viiri” (“Conifer branch, a pennon of peace”), donated by the Kaukametsäläiset association.

LegEstimated distanceEstimated timeClimb
1.10,2–10,4 km
daylight/dusk
59 min370 m
2.9,9–10,1 km
daylight/dusk
58 min400 m
3.6,9–7,0 km dusk41 min290 m
4.7,0–7,1 km
daylight/dusk
42 min290 m
5.13,6–13,8 km
daylight
85 min570 m
6.12,8–12,9 km
daylight
80 min490 m
7.13,4–13,5 km
daylight
84 min550 m
Total74,3 km 7 h 29 min 2 960 m
 
Suuri joukko juoksijoita, joilla on otsalamput ja kartat kädessään, juoksee kilpaa sorapolulla Esi-Jukolan 2025 iltahämärässä, taustalla valaistut rakennelmat ja puut.

General Information

Forking is used in all legs. Sun sets at 11.43 p.m. on Saturday, 19 June 2027 and rises at 2:34 a.m. on Sunday, 20 June 2027. Race starts with a mass start at 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, 19 June 2027.

The event is regulated by the rules of the Finnish Orienteering Federation (FOF) and the instructions provided by the organiser. The rules of the FOF are available on the FOF website: www.suunnistusliitto.fi. The use of spiked shoes is prohibited, but shoes with studs are permitted. GPS trackers will be allocated to chosen teams and must be worn throughout the competition. The chosen teams named by the organisers will use numbered vests. The embargoed area can be found here: Embargoed Area Map

Competition Map and Punching

Digitally printed orienteering map, scale 1:10 000, contour interval 5 m, ISOM2017. Mapped by Teemu Köngäs and Jussi Silvennoinen. The map is sealed in plastic. The electronic Emit punching system will be used.

Eligibility to Participate

Participants are not required to obtain a Finnish Orienteering Federation license. It is the responsibility of the clubs and the competing members to ensure that all personal data is correct. Both men and women can participate in the Jukola Relay, including those women also competing in the Venla Relay.

Only competitors born in 2012 or earlier are eligible to participate. Running an underage competitor or under a false name will result in the disqualification of team. For youngest participants, first two legs of Venla Relay and third and fourth legs of Jukola Relay are recommended.

Participation in more than one team

Same participant may run a leg in two or more different teams of associations (meaning teams other than orienteering clubs) during same race. In a team of associations, same participant may therefore run more than one leg in different community teams. In a club team, a participant may run only one leg. If a participant runs for both a club team and one or more team of associations teams, they must run their club team leg before their team of associations leg or legs. In a club team, same participant may not run more than one leg.

Minimum composition of teams of associations

In Venla Relay, a team of associations must consist of at least two different participants. Same participant may not run two consecutive legs in the same team. In Jukola Relay, a team of associations must consist of at least three different participants. Same participant may not run two consecutive
legs in the same team. These regulations concerning minimum composition of teams of associations and running of multiple legs do not apply to club
teams. 

Registration and payment

The registration process opens on October 10th, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. on Jukola’s website. Contact person for club will do enrolment and pay for teams in electronic enrolment system. Registering teams happens as follows:

  • The contact person for the club creates a personal Jukola account at jukola.com
  • The contact person logs in to the enrolment system with his/her Jukola account
  • The contact person enrols the teams and pays for the teams and extra services in the system


NB:
An invitation link and detailed instructions for enrolment will be sent by e-mail in October to all the clubs and associations who participated in Kotka-Jukola 2026.

Each team must have at least four (4) Emit cards in Jukola Relay and three (3) in Venla Relay. Same Emit cards may not be used by two different teams in same relay. However, same Emit card can be used in both Jukola and Venla Relays. Emit cards can be rented from organisers until April 12th, 2027 for 20 € per card. After this date, rental price will be 40 € per card. Required number of rental cards must be indicated when registering. Emit card numbers do not need to be reported in advance; they will be registered into result system at competition centre when entering start/changeover area. Schedule for registration, entry fees and other advance payments are shown in table below. Payment must be made online at time of registration or reservation. If a reservation is not paid within valid price category dates, next price category fee will be charged. After registration has been paid, any changes require extra work from organisers and a processing fee of 20 €/change will be charged. All clubs are asked to carefully check all details when registering teams and paying.

Entry fees
 by Thu 14.1.2027
until 11:59 p.m.
by Mon 12.4.2027
until 1:59 p.m.
by Thu 27.5.2027
until 11:59 p.m.
Venla / team225 €285 €410 €
Jukola / team395 €500 €715 €

A team has right to cancel their participation before April 12th, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Entry fee will be refunded, but a processing fee of 20 € per cancelled team will be charged. After April 12th, 2027, entry fee will not be refunded. Participation and cancellation of extra services can be made by sending an e-mail to secretary general: .

Starting order of teams registered before April 12th, 2027 is determined by results from previous year’s Jukola. Teams registered and paid later will be placed at end of starting list. Teams disqualified or not finished in KotkaJukola will also be drawn to end of the list. Organiser reserves right to assign smaller free numbers to disqualified teams. Questions regarding starting lists should be addressed to technical advisor: .

Other fees
 by Mon
12.4.2027
by Thu
27.5.2027
Camping pitch 10m × 10m40–60 €70–85 €
Tent provided by organiserPrices will be confirmed at
a later date
Prices will be confirmed at
a later date
Wind shelter pitch 6 m × 5 m

65 €

100 €

Camper or Caravan

/ Camper (electricity point)

60/100 €115/155 €
Emit-card rent20 €40 €

The parking fee for a car, motorcycle or moped is 20 € when purchased through the Eventilla system. If purchased at the competition info, parking fee is 25 €.

Running order
Running orders of teams are entered into electronic enrolment system either during entry or later. Running orders for both relays, Jukola and Venla, must be entered into electronic enrolment system by Thursday, 17th of June 2027 at 6:00 p.mRunning order can be entered into as public or non-public; in latter case, it will become public on Thursday, 17th of June 2027 at 6:00 p.m.

Late registration of the running order will result in a penalty of 100 €. After entering system, changes can only be made in exceptional circumstances. Changes will be approved by competition’s technical advisor (TA). More specific information will be published in June 2027 in Competition
Instructions on website of Vuokatti-Jukola. Number bibs (note: no safety pins are provided by organisers) and other team-specific competition material will not be available until running order has been submitted and all fees have been paid.

Accommodation

All accommodation located within the competition centre area has to be booked and paid for through the electronic enrolment system on October 10th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Accommodation will be confirmed after the organisers have received the payment. Prices for accommodation can be found from the table above (Other fees).

  • Camping area for tents is situated in wooded areas near competition centre and size of each pitch is 10 × 10 m. Tent areas are located 700–1500 metres from competition centre.
  • Organisers will provide non-heated tents (16 persons each), set up by organisers, for use of teams. These tents may be reserved exclusively by
    foreign teams until January 14, 2027. After this date, any tents that remain unreserved or become available may be booked by all teams. Tents are located 1 300–1 600 metres from competition centre. These team tents are to be booked per tent.
  • Foreign teams should reserve their tents by emailing and payment will be done through the Jukola registration system no later than April 12th, 2027. Please see other accommodation options on the website of Vuokatti-Jukola.
  • Advertisements from local residents offering private accommodation can be viewed on Vuokatti-Jukola website.
  • Parking and accommodation areas for campers and camper vans are located at Koulurinne area from where it is 3.6 km to competition centre. Places are limited and distributed in order of registration. Places must be reserved and paid in advance through the registration system before May 27th, 2027.
  • There are 56 parking spaces with electricity for campers in Vuokatinrinteet area, which is 500 metres from competition centre.

Wind Shelter Area

Competing clubs have an opportunity to book a place for a wind shelter near changeover and finish area. There are 300 wind shelter places.
All competing clubs making an entry for at least four (4) teams (Jukola and Venla combined) will have right to book three (3) wind shelter places. All competing clubs that wish to have a wind shelter place must book it through electronic enrolment system. Top 25 teams from Jukola 2026 have the right to reserve wind shelter places 1–101.

Arrival and guidance

Detailed instructions for arrival and guidance will be published in May 2027 in the “Guide to Vuokatti-Jukola” on Vuokatti-Jukola’s website. Road signs directing to parking areas will be in place on Friday, June 18th, 2027, at 8:00 a.m. Driving instructions issued by organizers must be strictly adhered to.
Information on other means of transportation to competition centre will be published later the Vuokatti-Jukola website.

  • Competition Centre: Competition centre is situated within the grounds of the Vuokatti Sports Institute. Competition centre will open on
    Friday, June 18th, 2027, at 10:00 a.m.
  • Facilities located at competition centre include, for example, a canteen, first aid services and a competition info as well as shops and exhibition areas. No accommodation or movement in camping areas is allowed before official opening time of competition centre!
  • Parking and Parking Fees: All parking relating to event must take place in car parks designated by the organiser. Parking spaces for passenger cars are located approximately 2 000–3 000 metres walking distance from competition centre. Parking for invited guests, media, and special groups is located approximately 200–1 000 metres from competition centre. Parking fees are listed in table above.
  • Campers and Caravans: See the section “Accommodation”.
  • Club Buses: Bus stops (drop-off and pick-up points) for club buses are located in immediate vicinity of tent areas, in car park at Tenetti School
    (Opintie 2, Vuokatti), 1 300 metres from competition centre.
  • Showers and Changing Rooms: Changing facilities are not provided. There will be showers with warm water free of charge as well as a
    sauna (entrance fee to sauna) at competition centre.
  • Photos and Filming: During event, photos and videos will be taken. By registering and participating in event, you confirm that photos or videos taken of you may be used for event-related marketing and other purposes. Material will not be sold or given to third parties in any other way.
  • Training: Pre-race trainings are available using training maps of Vuokatti-Jukola. Trainings can be purchased from Vuokatti-Jukola´s website. Training outside official training terrains is prohibited.

Contact information

Chief of Competition:
Jyrki Uotila
Event Manager/Secretary General: Sami Leinonen
Technical Advisor (TA): Teijo Oksanen
Chair of Organising Committee: Vesa Mäkipää
Chief of Support Services: Jessika Erola 
Secretary General: Pauli Mäkelä